Weekly Maritime Briefing: Fleet Expansion, Subsea Deals, and Safety Standards

## Fleet and Ship Sales Dry bulk owner **Genco Shipping & Trading** continues its fleet modernization drive with the acquisition of a 182,000 dwt capesize vessel, a 2019 Imabari-built unit equipped with scrubber technology. Delivery is slated for June 2026. According to Splash247, the vessel represents Goodwill Maritime's exit from the capesize segment, underscoring ongoing consolidation in the global dry bulk fleet. The transaction reflects sustained demand for newer, environmentally compliant tonnage among major shipowners. ## Offshore Energy and Subsea Services The subsea contracting market showed continued momentum this week with two significant developments. **Subsea7** and **Schlumberger (SLB)** secured a substantial engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract from ExxonMobil for subsea work offshore Angola. The award continues Subsea7's expansion in West African deepwater projects through the Subsea Integration Alliance, an industry partnership focused on integrated subsea solutions. In a related move, **NextGeo** (Milan-listed Next Geosolutions) exercised an option to acquire an additional 7.1% stake in **Rana Subsea** from Nettuno Capital for €7.25 million, bringing its total holding to 82.5%. The transaction reflects consolidation within the subsea services sector as operators seek integrated technical capabilities and enhanced market positioning. ## Industry Standards and Safety Meanwhile, **OneLearn Global** CEO Marinos Kokkinis has raised concerns about maritime fire safety training, arguing that reliance on minimum industry standards falls short of the operational demands crews face. Writing for Splash247, Kokkinis highlights the unique challenges of at-sea operations—crews operating hundreds of miles from shore with limited external support—and calls for enhanced training protocols beyond baseline SOLAS requirements. ## Looking Forward In a lighter but forward-looking initiative, the **European School Competition** invited children across Europe to envision the ship of the future. The competition culminated in an award ceremony during the informal EU maritime affairs ministerial meeting in Cyprus, with winning artworks selected from Greece, Poland, and other member states. The initiative reflects growing interest in engaging future maritime professionals and innovators on industry sustainability and technological advancement. --- **Sources:** Splash247